Personal Essay for UHD MSCJ Program

Introduction

Growing up, I have always been fascinated by the criminal justice system and especially in the process of apprehending a criminal. I hated crimes which were rampant in my neighborhood and I always aimed at being part of the solution. Additionally, all matters crime fascinated me, be it in the news or in the movies I watched growing up. I read books themed after the crime, attended debates on crime and the solutions and even made friends at the police station, where I would visit on my free Saturdays to have a one on one experience with the system. Everyone around me knew that my career path was rather defined and after I cleared my high school education, I enrolled for a degree in criminal justice and the journey to fulfilling my dreams began there. I graduated and landed a job as a police for seven years now.

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I have chosen to further my education at this University due to its global recognition in Criminal justice studies. I have had a firsthand experience on the capabilities the university can offer as I had enrolled in the University for a Short Course which did wonders for my career growth. The university provides the start of the art research facility for research on criminal justice, a good study environment, and professional faculty staff who are ready to journey with me throughout my course and achieve my career goals.

After working as a police officer for seven years, I discovered that crimes are changing regarding their execution and their severity. In the advent of technological advancements, cyber-crimes are the new threats, and they are affecting all citizens from an innocent social media user to the government in totality. Data is often stolen and misused causing unimaginable damage. I have decided to revise my knowledge on the crimes and their evolution and also learn the best ways to deal with the growing menace. I plan on starting a department that handles issues concerning cyber-attacks once I am done with my masters. Additionally, I would love to expand my employment opportunities. The level of education is a determining factor in the hiring process, and I would want to have a competitive advantage. Having a master's degree also opens doors to some of the coveted positions in cases such as supervisory roles and a higher degree will supplement the work experience

I have learned a lot from being a police officer, answering accidents and incidents calls, being on the forefront to solving crimes and protecting the community within which I live while doing all this for the good of the society. My greatest strengths lie in my character and integrity. I am also a team player where if placed on leadership positions, I am to delegate duties to the team and see a task to completion. I put the needs of my team first and always play an integral part in any task passed on to. I am also a fast problem solver. My master's program will require me to make hundreds of decisions every day. This will often require a combination of research, instinct, analysis and a defined procedure. Snap decisions are also essential, and this skill will help me navigate through the program. Finally, I easily adapt to changes. This is primarily due to my training and work experience as a police officer. I can adapt to a changing environment and still deliver the required results.

One of the weaknesses that I have to deal with is the fear of public speaking and presenting to a large audience. My place of work has approximately 20 employees and rarely do I speak to them all at once. I am a reserved person, but I realize that part of the study is embracing public speaking and presenting my ideas to people and embracing received from my projects. I believe that once weaknesses are identified, they have to be converted into the greatest strengths that a human being can possess. I will also read widely on the issue and create opportunities while undertaking the program to practice my skills. Moreover, being a police officer means keen observation of the people around you and judging their behavior which in many cases is an uncomfortable gesture. This is one of the many reasons why I do not have as many friends as I would want to. I judge my colleagues by their performance levels and their commitment to different situations without realizing that we all perform differently under different situations. Throughout the program, I will learn to embrace people as they are and try to understand why people do some certain things. I will also try to understand people's strengths and weaknesses and support them through their growth as nobody is perfect. We are all a work in progress.

Conclusion

My professional area of research is the new threat of terrorism and crimes that are conducted over the cyberspace. As the technology becomes more and more sophisticated, there is a need for criminologists who understand the crime, its severity and the necessary justice measure to be taken. The criminal justice system is evolving in a bid to counter these threats and has thus created career opportunities and also allowed me an opportunity to make a tangible difference in my community and to the nation. As a criminologist, I will be tasked with researching to determine the extent of a crime with the hope understanding it and preventing future occurrences. The university will empower me with the skills needed in my research and mold me to meet my future mandates. My interest in cyber-crimes will be part of my MSCJ program where I will do my final research work on the topic and collaborate with such projects, if any, being undertaken by the school.